There are few things more abhorrent to kids than the idea of beginning their nightly routine: washing up, brushing their teeth, and going to bed. To them, this nightly cleansing ritual represents more than simply ending the day; it means resigning their time of play and, on school nights, skipping to the next step of sitting in a desk all day. So how can we blame them if the idea of brushing their teeth doesn’t exactly enthrall them?

Well, you can’t take away school nights, but you can get your kids to start brushing their teeth without complaint. How? Two words: dental apps. These dental apps will help kids feel like they’re actually having a little bit of – dare we say it? – fun the next time they bring out their toothbrush.

5 Best Apps to Help Your Kids Brush Their Teeth

1. StarTeeth

Presented by Fungamental Labs, this 99-cent app is exactly what the dentist ordered: a walk-through that takes kids through a 2-minute teeth cleansing. The beauty of the app is that it makes the process fun, using a variety of characters performing different actions to inform the kids how best to clean their own teeth. This is an especially great app if you have kids who are at the age in which it’s time to start brushing their own teeth; they’ll learn how to do it right and they’ll carry this skill with them for life.

2. Kids’ Dental Health

At $1.99, you pay a little bit more for this App, but you also get a bit more: in fact, you get an entire game that teaches kids about dental health – not just about what they should do to brush their teeth effectively. These games teach kids the truth about their teeth, sharing knowledge that will help motivate them to keep clean teeth throughout their lives.

3. KidsDental

This is sort of like “WebMD for Kids’ Teeth,” to put it succinctly. KidsDental features a childlike avatar that helps kids associate with what’s going on in their dental world; they’re able to explore facts about teeth, look up conditions, and even keep track of their own teeth with a “My Teeth” feature. Leave it to an App to get kids thinking about something that’s attached to them 24 hours a day.

4. Brush It Up

At 99 cents, this is another great deal for parents who want to inspire their kids’ better brushing habits but don’t want all the hoopla attached to the other dental apps. Brush It Up teaches kids how to brush their teeth and does it in a way that’s actually fun and engaging – imagine that!

5. Brush

This can be used for kids and adults, and is more effective with kids who have been brushing for a while. Essentially, this app is a timer that tells you when to switch teeth-brushing sections, giving you a complete cleaning while you handle the brushing yourself. This is not for kids just starting to brush their own teeth – it’s a little too boring for them – but is great for older kids and adults who need a little tooth-brushing discipline.